Apple's iPad: Year One Video • (Leo & me at 0:55)

1.21.2006

Leelo is still having a shitty time going to bed. Last night was particularly trying as he was so sweet and compliant with Seymour for the first phase, lying down, saying "Daddy's here," and similar phrases, stroking his Dad's face, and seeming to be drifting off. Then some toggle inside his head got bumped for no reason Seymour could see, and he was off into violent defiance land. Finally went to bed past 11, even though he'd been awake since 6:15.

Of course it could be anything--a developmental phase, thinks Seymour--but I am suspicious that it does correspond almost exactly with our switching vitamins, going from the higher dose autism specialty mix to the general healthy kids mix. I only got a trial size of the vitamins, so we can easily switch back to the previous ones and see if that helps at all.

What I have definitely noticed is that he was sweet and calm and wonderful with me as I kept things mellow and gave him as much attention and affection as I possibly could, stroking and kissing his head and telling him what a fantastic boy he was all day.

However, when we veered into Afternoon Errand Land, where he was dragged from the doctor's office (plantar warts for kids = compwnd W) to the grocery store to Merlin and Sophie's school to pick them up to Iz's school to pick her up back to our home for an impromptu playgroup where I was tending to five kids rather than just him and Mali, all within the space of 2.5 hours...then he started acting out again. What. A. Shock.

So I will make sure things stay as calm and anti-frenetic as possible, and that kids come over with adults to address their needs so that I can make sure Leelo gets all the attention he is needing right now. Overstimulation and rushing are bad. Most parents in my situation got this a long time ago.

Other notes: Miss Mali surprised me again yesterday by yanking the remote control for Leelo's roving insect toy out of my hands, and operating it herself. Someone may have shown her how to do this but I don't think so--I think she spent a very long time watching Merlin do it (while she was joyfully chasing the bug, to Merlin's delight).

Iz is at Violet's for a slumber party. I hope it goes well, as her teacher pulled me aside yesterday and told me that our girl's been having more social issues regarding kids teasing her for being younger, defiance to people in authority (mostly when they try to take books away from her so she can join the rest of the class), and also with perfectionism and always wanting to be first and answering all the questions every time. Sigh.

Final surprise: Leelo got weighed at the doctor yesterday. He weighs 51 lbs. My God. And oooh irony--this discovery less than two hours after the blood donation people told me not to lift anything heavy for 24 hours. Riiight.

Interviewing lots of potential Leelo therapists this weekend. Wish us luck! And have a good one.